HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL: Neptune puts clamps on TCA

NEPTUNE — This is usually the time of the season when Khaliq Lewis-El and his Trenton Catholic Academy girls start final preparations for a long run through the upcoming Mercer County and NJSIAA Non-Public B state tournaments.

While those tournaments may be part of the Lady Mikes’ future later this month there are more pressing things the TCA girls have to work out.

Like who will be playing in the last three weeks of the season and in the post-season play.

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Yesterday, with junior guard Isis Young dressed but not playing, the Lady Mikes struggled as badly as they have in years.

The 29 turnovers was the worst stat. The 10-for-42 shooting that had only three players score was terrible, too. Getting outscored 8-1 after they got within one late in the half, then by 15-0 in the last four minutes of the third period was atrocious, too.

It’s no wonder the 10-5 Lady Mikes got blown out for the second time in less than 24 hours, this time by 53-31 to longtime rival Neptune in their annual mid-season showdown.

After losing 60-39 at home Friday to Rancocas Valley in a game that virtually eliminated them from winning a fourth straight Liberty League title, the Lady Mikes didn’t look like a team that had won the last seven South Jersey B Tournaments it played in.

“We’re having growing pains,” was Lewis-El’s first description of a mid-season collapse that has seen the Lady Mikes drop three of their last four and score under 45 in each one.

Leading scorer Young, who came off the bench in the RV loss after sitting the first quarter and didn’t get a field goal, watched from the bench as TCA turned the ball over 19 times on passes and had 11 result in Neptune baskets.

Junior Erin Garner scored 17 on 7-for-14 shooting and Tyler Raysor scored 10, but the only other TCA girl to score was Marisa Sentus with four.

“This is about basketball away from TCA, It’s about basketball IQ. We have to get everybody to bind into what we are trying to do,” said Lewis-El. “It’s a new team with a lot of different looks. We have kids who have not been in a primary role before trying to fit in a role.”

TCA beat Neptune in the biggest game the two programs ever played - the 2011 TofC championship game at Izod Center - but three years ago lost here after learning two hours earlier it would not play in the state tourney due to a clerical error.

”This time Neptune has beaten the Lady Mikes even worse. We have no glue right now,” said Lewis-El. “Before it gets better it has to get worse.”

With 13-4 Neptune putting four players in double figures - Desiree Moss (15), Ilyana Crenshaw (13), Marajin Bacon (10) and Miesha Bacon (11) - it’s defense forded TCA into 18 first half turnovers. Each time the Mikes made a blunder their deficit grew and had the Fliers not switched to a four-corner spread offense in the final quarter to run time off the clock this margni would have been greater.